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Losing Suction???

Ugh really what else are we going to have to deal with Just as I thought everything was starting to work perfectly too

Okay so my baby is 7 weeks and she has always latched great and I don't see a change in that at all but for some reason now she seems to be losing suction while nursing....she will suck well for about 4-6 times then lose suction then repeat. Sometimes after a bit she will not lose suction anymore but its at every feed.
We just had a check up at the doc and she checked out fine so it should not be an ear infection. I am not engorged or anything either. I have read so much online but it seems that nothing applies to us....I am at a loss on what is going on.
Also it does not bother me as in pain or anything and it doesn't seem to bother her either just trying to figure out why the change all of a sudden.

Re: Losing Suction???

What do you mean by "losing suction"? Does the sucking just not feel as strong on your end? Could it just be that she is done her big drink and is then nursing gently, for comfort? Aka comfort nursing.

Re: Losing Suction???

It is like a strange sound, hard to describe but you can tell that her suction is gone at that point until the next suck and she gets it back....does that make sense at all?

Originally Posted by @llli*isabelofmtl

What do you mean by "losing suction"? Does the sucking just not feel as strong on your end? Could it just be that she is done her big drink and is then nursing gently, for comfort? Aka comfort nursing.

Re: Losing Suction???

If it is not hurting you and baby is gaining normally, it may be nothing to worry about???

Is bby actually coming off the breast? Is the sound like a clicking?
Forceful letdown can cause baby to pull or get pushed off- and it can happen if mom is not engorged, btw-
Also, positioning where gravity is pulling baby away from the breast can cause baby to 'fall' off the breast. This is one reason ‘laid back’ nursing often helps with latch.
And if mom is holding/touching baby’s head, baby may push back against the hand.

Re: Losing Suction???

No she is not coming off, I think she is just barely opening her mouth just a little, and it could happen at the beginning or at the end of a feed...its weird since she never did this before now. Its not the clicking sound that should be happening either, it feels like her tongue slips out of place or something and then she moves it back. I really don't think I have forceful let down...maybe I guess but I don't think so since neither of us have any of the signs of it per/ kelly mom.
I usually position her in the football hold on a boppy pillow for the left side and cradle hold on the boppy for the right side and her head is on the pillow with no where to go. She usually turns her head to let go when she is done eating.
I have tried the laid back nursing but we just can't get it right, it usually ends up with her nose buried in my boob and she gets angry since she can't breathe. I know its my fault that I can't position her that way but I just can't get it
Thanks for the help!!

Originally Posted by @llli*lllmeg

If it is not hurting you and baby is gaining normally, it may be nothing to worry about???

Is bby actually coming off the breast? Is the sound like a clicking?
Forceful letdown can cause baby to pull or get pushed off- and it can happen if mom is not engorged, btw-
Also, positioning where gravity is pulling baby away from the breast can cause baby to 'fall' off the breast. This is one reason ‘laid back’ nursing often helps with latch.
And if mom is holding/touching baby’s head, baby may push back against the hand.

Re: Losing Suction???

I don't know about anything being your fault. It very often takes time & practice to figure out breastfeeding, (and just about everything else about mothering, at least, that is my experience) and since every baby is different, moms are always having to figure this or that out.

I looked back at your previous threads and nothing seemed very out of the ordinary, except the possible? mastitis. So I do not know what else has been happening lately. So again, I am not sure that this is even a problem. As long as baby is gaining normally and nursing does not hurt you, it is not a problem or at least, not big one. (The one thing that pops into my head that might lead to more issues if this is not corrected is if this issue started sometime after baby started getting bottles or pacifier time?)

If the breastfeeding positionings you are doing are working well for you, no need at all to change anything. If it is uncomfortable for you or seems to cause a latch issue that is troubling you, then you can try making some adjustments if you like.

If you want to keep trying to nurse laid back, here is what I suggest. You may be leaning too far back. Try latching baby as you normally do, even with baby on the breastfeeding pillow if you like, and then lean slightly back into a relaxed posture. Make sure that there is something behind you that totally supports your back, shoulders, neck and head. (Back of couch or chair, pillows- whatever.) If this works, you can keep doing it this way or eventually start latching baby in the relaxed posture.The idea with laid back is that mom is totally supported so she is not straining, and that baby is supported by mom’s body. This can be done in any number of ways, with mom in any amount if recline and baby in any position at all, including cradle or football. Nursing pillows are not normally needed with laid back positions but certainly can be used if desired, depending on how baby is positioned.

Generally, breastfeeding is most comfortable if you can figure out how to get baby’s mouth and your nipple to be at the same ‘height” without strain. This is what breastfeeding pillows are typically used for. But sometimes they actually cause latch issues especially as baby gets bigger. One reason is, they can cause baby to be ‘higher’ than the breast. Also the boppy in particular, in a cradle of cross cradle, creates a little crevice between mom and baby that baby’s face may turn into, pulling baby slightly off so latch is more shallow.

Re: Losing Suction???

lllmeg thank you so much for the detailed help here!!! You are so nice and went out of your way to look into my previous posts
Well its not from bottle or paci use since she has only had 2 bottles since she was born and we use to try to give her pacis but she hates them so much!! lol So we stopped even trying except the once in a blue moon my hubby still tries but she won't even try to suck on it she just thrusts her tongue out and make a super gross face
I was just reading somewhere about tongue ties and I am pretty sure she does not have an actual tongue tie but she may have an upper lip tie from the pics and info I have seen That scares the hell out of me!! I don't want to think about anyone having to cut any part of my baby ever!! I think I am going to call her ped. and ask him if he knows about them enough to diagnose it or if I should just call the lactation consultant that I had in the hospital and ask her to look at it?? If I can get a picture of it I could post it on here too but she does not like for me to be playing around in her mouth. lol
Thanks again for all the help!!!

Originally Posted by @llli*lllmeg

I don't know about anything being your fault. It very often takes time & practice to figure out breastfeeding, (and just about everything else about mothering, at least, that is my experience) and since every baby is different, moms are always having to figure this or that out.

I looked back at your previous threads and nothing seemed very out of the ordinary, except the possible? mastitis. So I do not know what else has been happening lately. So again, I am not sure that this is even a problem. As long as baby is gaining normally and nursing does not hurt you, it is not a problem or at least, not big one. (The one thing that pops into my head that might lead to more issues if this is not corrected is if this issue started sometime after baby started getting bottles or pacifier time?)

If the breastfeeding positionings you are doing are working well for you, no need at all to change anything. If it is uncomfortable for you or seems to cause a latch issue that is troubling you, then you can try making some adjustments if you like.

If you want to keep trying to nurse laid back, here is what I suggest. You may be leaning too far back. Try latching baby as you normally do, even with baby on the breastfeeding pillow if you like, and then lean slightly back into a relaxed posture. Make sure that there is something behind you that totally supports your back, shoulders, neck and head. (Back of couch or chair, pillows- whatever.) If this works, you can keep doing it this way or eventually start latching baby in the relaxed posture.The idea with laid back is that mom is totally supported so she is not straining, and that baby is supported by mom’s body. This can be done in any number of ways, with mom in any amount if recline and baby in any position at all, including cradle or football. Nursing pillows are not normally needed with laid back positions but certainly can be used if desired, depending on how baby is positioned.

Generally, breastfeeding is most comfortable if you can figure out how to get baby’s mouth and your nipple to be at the same ‘height” without strain. This is what breastfeeding pillows are typically used for. But sometimes they actually cause latch issues especially as baby gets bigger. One reason is, they can cause baby to be ‘higher’ than the breast. Also the boppy in particular, in a cradle of cross cradle, creates a little crevice between mom and baby that baby’s face may turn into, pulling baby slightly off so latch is more shallow.